Concern has arisen across citizens of Fuquay-Varina as over 40 vultures were found dead last week scattered under the town’s water tower. 

Videos were taken of the scene, showing the dead birds laying on the ground like they had all suddenly fallen out of the sky. Some wildlife experts reviewed the videos and have come up with their own theories as to what happened.  

 While some argued that the vultures had seemed to be poisoned, others thought it was avian influenza. 

In the state of North Carolina, it is illegal to shoot or poison vultures, which is why some experts thought it was unlikely that the birds were deliberately killed. 

After looking at the footage of the birds, the State Wildlife Resources Commission said that the birds most likely died from avian influenza. 

Avian influenza, also commonly known as ¨bird flu,¨ is an infection that is spread through the saliva, mucus, and feces of a bird. Birds who contract low pathogenic avian influenza will experience mild symptoms, but birds infected with high pathogenic avian influenza have a high chance of dying. 

Once one bird is infected, it is likely the entire flock will also be infected. This is why many experts believe that the vultures found in Fuquay-Varina were killed by the bird flu.

This is not the first time that birds have been found dead in the same fashion.

At the beginning of the year, Possumwood Acres Wildlife Sanctuary, an animal sanctuary based in the eastern part of the state, received calls from multiple people reporting that they found dead birds that looked like they had fallen from the sky. 

The changing weather could be a part of the rising reports of dead birds. Possumwood Acres Wildlife Sanctuary stated that “Cold weather tends to bring a rise in (the) spread of the virus that threatens wild and domesticated birds.” 

It is still unconfirmed what happened but Rollins Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory in Raleigh is hoping to put an end to the mystery. The birds were collected and are now being tested to find their cause of death.

People who find dead birds are encouraged by the CDC to report it and avoid contact until an appropriate establishment comes to remove the findings.